Chain-fastener



c. J. WILLIAMS. CHAIN FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED DEC-[8,1919- RENEWED SEPT. 22, 1921.

1 ,397,568. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

avwenboz WM e1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. WILLIAMS, OF THERMOPOLIS, WYOMING.

CHAIN-FASTENER.

Application filed December 18, 1919, Serial No. 345,703. Renewed September 22, 1921. Serial N 0. 502,550.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thermopolis, in the county of Hot Springs and State of WVyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for holding antiskid chains upon tires of automobiles and consists of a simple and efficient device of this nature having various details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully de scribed, shown in the accompanying drawings and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of the tire of a wheel, illustrating my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan view of the fastening device.

Fig. 3 is an edge view, and

Fig. 4 is an end view.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by numerals:

1 designates the rim of a wheel and 2 the tire, while 3 designates a form of anti-skidding device made up of link chains. One chain 4 which is positioned adjacent to the rim of the wheel is provided with a link 5 having eyes 6 at its ends. The fastening device is designated by numeral 7 and consists of a piece of metal bent upon itself substantially U-shaped and provided wlth a pivotal pin 8, the ends of which pro ect beyond the opposite faces of the fastener near the bent portion thereof. a The oppos te sides of said fastener are cut away, forming two hooks 9 and 10, the former of which has an inwardly turned tooth 11 extending laterally between the space intermedlate the two hooks, as shown clearly in'the end v1ew of Specification of Letters Patent.

the drawings. A tongue 12 is pivotally mounted upon said pin between the hook portions, and its inner edge has a concaved portion 13 which is adapted to cooperate with the hooks referred to for the purpose of holding the link 15 of a chain. The portions of said member 7 are made preferably of a resilient material, and when operated laterally by any suitable instrument, the

tongue is adapted to swing into the space intermediate the hooked portions at the ends thereof and when the parts spring back to their normal positions, said laterally projecting portions of the hook will serve as a keeper to prevent the outer swinging of the tongue, thus securely locking the device to the end link of a chain, while the other end of the chain, which is positioned adjacent to the rim, is held by engagement of the end link 15 thereof into the hooks 9 and 10 before described.

By the provision of a fastening device embodying the features of my invention, it will be noted that asimple means is afforded whereby the ends of the chain which holds the anti-skid device upon the tire of a wheel, will be securely held together against accidental disconnection, it being necessary to first apply power through the medium of a suitable tool, whereby the two sides of the fastener 7 may be sprung laterally a sufficient distance to permit the tongue to swing out for the purpose of disconnecting the fastener from the end of a chain.

hat I claim to be new is:

A device for fastening anti-skid chains upon tires, consisting of a member of resilient material bent upon itself, forming two resilient arms terminating each in ,a hook, a pivot pin passing through said arms and projecting beyond the same, a link adapted to be connected to one end of the chain and having eyes forpivotal engagement with the projecting ends of said pin, a tongue pivotally mounted upon said pin between said arms and cooperating with said hooks to engage and hold the other end of the chain, one of said hooks being provided with a tooth disposed in the space between said hooks and serving as a stop to prevent the outward swinging movement of the tongue. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

CHARLES J. WILLIAMS. 

